The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, in partnership with BBC Northern Ireland, are inviting applications for the NI Young Musicians’ Platform Award.

This award, supported by Arts Council National Lottery funding and BBC Northern Ireland, aims to support exceptional young solo musicians from across Northern Ireland. The programme offers successful applicants financial support of up to £5,000, alongside opportunities for professional engagements and development.

Open to musicians, singers, and singer-songwriters working in Classical, Jazz, Contemporary, and Traditional music, the award is designed to help young artists transition into professional careers. Musicians from all over Northern Ireland, including Belfast – a UNESCO City of Music – are encouraged to apply. The award not only recognises outstanding talent but also seeks to nurture and develop this talent through mentorship and performance opportunities.

Applications are currently open and will close at 12 noon on Monday, 11 November 2024. Auditions will be held in December at The MAC in Belfast, with successful applicants announced later that month. Awardees will receive financial support to spend time learning from a mentor, master musician, teacher, or composer, either within Northern Ireland or internationally.

In addition to the financial award, successful applicants will have the opportunity to perform in a range of professional settings, with engagements arranged by BBC Northern Ireland. These will include broadcast performances, with potential opportunities to perform with the Ulster Orchestra. These performances, taking place between January 2025 and December 2026, will provide young musicians with vital professional exposure.

BBC Radio Ulster and Foyle presenters will offer mentorship to award recipients. John Toal, presenter of Classical Connections, will mentor the classical awardees; Neil Martin, presenter of Folk Club, will work with the traditional music awardee, who will also perform at Tradfest; Scott Flanigan, a jazz musician, will mentor the jazz awardee, who will perform at Scott’s Jazz Club; and Stephen McCauley, presenter of The Stephen McCauley Show, will mentor the singer-songwriter awardee, with a performance opportunity at Stendhal Festival.

Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music at the Arts Council, noted the value of the programme, saying: “The NI Young Musicians’ Platform Award offers a valuable opportunity for outstanding musicians to develop their skills, learn from the best in their genre, and gain professional performance experience with the BBC. All of the previous awardees have gone on to have successful, musical careers and I’ve every confidence that their experience received through this award acted as a powerful catalyst in shaping their professional development.”

Paul McClean, Executive Editor of Music, Arts and Events at BBC Northern Ireland, commented: “We truly believe that BBC Radio Ulster and Foyle is ‘Where Music Matters,’ and we are dedicated to providing our listeners with the best in specialist music. Nurturing new talent is something we are extremely passionate about and we are delighted to be involved in finding new classical, alternative, jazz, and traditional artists.”

Past recipients of the award include pianist Michael McHale, soprano Laura Sheerin, harpist Richard Allen, jazz artist Katherine Timoney, and singer-songwriter ROE, among others.

For more details and to apply, visit the Arts Council of Northern Ireland website. Applications close at 12 noon on Monday, 11 November 2024.